Rich Wilson set to finish Vendee Globe

by Vendee Globe media on 10 Mar 2009
Rich Wilson should break the finish line around midday GMT (1300hrs local) to bring to an end his difficult final, frustrating weeks and secure his ninth place in this Vendée Globe.

Wilson and his Great American III have less than 30 miles to sail and, after the frustrations of yesterday, he sounded much more upbeat and positively relishing finally crossing the line today.

'I have just had a fishing boat cross 100 metres in front of me. But I am much better today it was difficult getting anywhere with so little wind an 18 foot swell. The Atlantic has just seemed endless and I felt like I was never pointing at France, I was pointing at Greenland, at Iceland, at Newfoundland, at Morocco but never France!' said Wilson this morning.

He should arrive in the channel around 1330hrs local time or just after. Skies are a little overcast this morning and there will be around 15-20 knots of SE’ly breeze as he arrives.

Meantime Raphael Dinelli sounded very happy this morning, now expected to arrive Saturday back to his home port in Les Sables d’Olonne.

He has 639 miles still to sail and was making just over eight knots.

He confirmed that he is in good shape and is looking forward to his arrival, joking that he will not be able to jump up and down on the deck when he does get in because of his broken rib. This morning he has some stomach pains because he is coming off some of his painkillers which he had been taking for extra relief as he was making his boom repair. Of the boom repair, he quipped that it is ‘good enough to go around again.!’

'I'm suffering from the hard work that was required to repair the boom as at that time I was taking painkillers and anti-inflammatory medicine and didn't really take it easy. But then I stopped taking them as I had stomach pains and now I can really feel the pain in the ribs again. I was really slowed down doing the manoeuvres last time. And I can feel every movement the boat makes with the swell. So I have suffered more since doing the work than when I was doing it. I have a huge westerly swell and a westerly airstream that is beginning to ease off. The high is just to my south and is moving north-eastwards, so it looks like I'm going to have to deal with light winds. I still hope to finish on Saturday, but the winds are going to be light. I had a look again at my repair this morning and that still looks solid enough. I was a bit worried about the polymers as the damp had got it from when I opened the tin in the south, so I was worried it wouldn't set properly. But from looking at it, I'd say I could more or less set out to sail around the world again with the boom like that.

Until I reached Brazil and had a problem with my halyard, I was racing with Rich Wilson. Sometimes it was me and sometimes he was in the lead. After that, he sent me a message saying he was sorry to hear about the damage I had. He was slowed in the Atlantic, but I had a fairly decent voyage before I broke my boom and was looking forward to racing him again. I wish him all the best and hope he gets what he wants. His boat was a little bit faster, so I had to push that bit harder. So well done to him!

Psychologically I feel fine. From a sporting perspective, I'm where I should be. The modern boats are that much quicker. If you compare my performance now to four years ago, taking into account the extended race course, I'm where I ought to be. I could have had a better fight with the American, but I'm not complaining. The aim was to sail around the world without fossil fuel and the objective has been achieved. I supplied the labs with useful data about the solar panels. That can be applied afterwards to the home or cars. That was the aim of the foundation to work on renewable energies.
I haven't lost any weight but may look a bit sunburnt. In general those that finish the Vendée Globe look in good health. It's not like being stuck in traffic jams for weeks. So apart from my ribs, there aren't any problems.'

And Norbert Sedlacek is in great spirits too, sliding along at around 12-13 knots.

'If the winds stay really good then I might be able to get in for Saturday, but more likely Sunday' said Sedlacek this morning.

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